Hundreds of People Turn Out for St. Pat’s Day Parade

Quilts and blankets were wrapped around the youngest family members who waited to watch the floats pass by and get a chance for beads and candy.

At St. Louis and First streets, a popular corner for any Pacific parade, spectators stood in the street.

By 10:30 a.m., Marin Reeder staked out a spot for her three children — Ilana, Isabelle and Izach and their friend Hannah Beffa, where they huddled in the open hatch of the family silver SUV to see the procession pass their corner.

Grand Marshal Dan McClain tossed green beads from the back seat of Jerry Agee’s red Chrysler convertible.

The parade featured an eclectic mix of entries including at least three floats featuring the rainbow of Irish legend with a pot of gold at the end.

Upward of 20 dogs walked with their owners in the K-9 Club. There also were more than a dozen motorcycles, including one three-wheeler that featured a bearded operator in blue sunglasses, black top hat, black boots, cape and green beads.

Gray-haired citizens waved from a large float with a green canopy and a sign that read “Recycled Teenagers on Board.”

Jimmy Womack’s familiar John Deere riding mower and trailer was the official bead and candy hauler.

The Downtown Merchants Association hosted the parade, which attracted 26 official entries and a handful of marchers who showed up at the last minute.

The parade started at Meramec Valley Middle School on Union, went east to Sixth Street where it turned south to St. Louis and east to First. There it turned north to Union again proceeded east to Olive and south to Orleans Street where it turned west and ended at Pacific Station Plaza where a food and craft booths had been setting up their wares for a spring festival since 8 a.m.